Jaishankar, Rubio Set for High-Stakes Meeting in New York
India’s Jaishankar to meet Rubio to navigate trade, diplomatic challenges.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will hold critical talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in New York on Monday, as the 80th UN General Assembly session begins. The meeting comes amid strained relations following President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on India for its Russian oil purchases, pushing total US levies on India to 50 per cent.
The bilateral discussion, confirmed by the State Department’s Sunday schedule, marks the first in-person meeting between Jaishankar and Rubio since the tariff hike. Their last encounter was in July at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington, DC. Monday’s talks coincide with separate India-US discussions aimed at finalizing a mutually beneficial trade agreement, led by Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal.
The trade talks follow productive September 16 discussions in India with US Trade Representative officials, where both sides agreed to accelerate efforts toward a deal. The Commerce Ministry emphasized the goal of a swift, balanced agreement to strengthen economic ties despite the tariff tensions.
Also Read: India Rushes Aid to Quake-Hit Afghanistan: Jaishankar Promises More Relief
Jaishankar, who arrived in New York on Sunday, kicked off his UNGA engagements with a meeting with Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa P. Lazaro. Posting on X, he noted follow-ups from President Bongbong Marcos’s recent state visit to India, highlighting cooperation in the UN and Indo-Pacific. Lazaro echoed the sentiment, affirming the strategic partnership and collaboration in defense, security, and maritime domains.
Throughout the UNGA week, Jaishankar will juggle a packed schedule of bilateral and multilateral meetings, culminating in India’s national statement at the General Debate on September 27. As global and bilateral challenges mount, Monday’s meeting with Rubio will test India’s diplomatic finesse in navigating trade disputes and reinforcing strategic ties with the US.
Also Read: Jaishankar Questions US-Pakistan Ties, Recalls Bin Laden’s Hideout
